Getting Disability As an Amputee

Amputation is the surgical removal of a limb, often in response to a traumatic injury or complications from diabetes. Having an arm, leg, toe, or finger amputated can permanently limit your ability to perform basic work-related activities—which can create financial hardship for amputees facing mounting medical costs and increased prosthetics prices. If you're struggling to pay the bills following your amputation, you may want to consider applying for Social Security disability benefits.

Social Security awards benefits to people who are unable to work full-time for at least one year due to a medical impairment. Because amputation is a permanent condition, you probably won't have a problem meeting the one year durational requirement. But unless you've had a major limb amputated (such as a hand or leg), it's unlikely that you'll qualify for disability automatically. Rather, you'll need to show that you can't perform important job-related functions, even with prosthetic devices. Before you file for benefits, it's important to be aware of what it takes to qualify for disability as an amputee so you can increase your chances of getting approved.

Can You Get Disability Automatically for an Amputated Leg?

In certain cases, yes. Social Security maintains a list of impairments that the agency considers serious enough to grant automatic approval for benefits, provided you have the required evidence in your medical records. Several extensive amputations fall under this category and are evaluated using the criteria in listing 1.20, Amputation due to any cause. You can meet the requirements of listing 1.20 if you have medical evidence of the following:

• bilateral amputation of the upper extremities (you've had both arms or hands removed)
• hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation (you've had one entire leg removed)
• one upper and one lower limb removed, with an inability to use the remaining upper extremity for work activities (for example, you use your left hand to hold a cane, but you're unable to type with your right hand), or
• complications from a lower limb amputation that keep you from using a prosthesis and require you to use both hands to operate a mobility device.

For example, if you've had your leg amputated at the knee and you're experiencing complications such as infection at the surgical site, you may meet listing 1.20 if you need to use a (doctor-prescribed) walker for at least one year following the amputation.

Can You Get Disability for Amputated Toes or Fingers?

Because listing 1.20 requires you to have pretty significant limitations and major limb loss, amputees who are missing digits such as fingers or toes aren't going to qualify for benefits automatically. But you can still get disability benefits if your residual functional capacity—Social Security's term for the activities you can still do despite your amputation—keeps you from doing any kind of full-time work.

Your residual functional capacity, or RFC, is a measure of your ability to do tasks such as sitting, standing, walking, and carrying objects. Social Security looks at your medical records and self-reported daily activities in order to determine what limitations to include in your RFC. For example, if the index finger on your dominant hand was amputated, your RFC will likely include limitations on typing. Or if you're missing several toes, your RFC will probably restrict how long you can be on your feet during the workday.

The more limitations you have in your RFC, the less likely it is that Social Security will find that you're able to work. Not all limitations will result in a disability determination, however. Much depends on the degree of your amputation and the significance of the lost appendage. Somebody who is missing their pinky toes might have trouble in a warehouse environment where balancing on uneven surfaces would pose a safety issue but would be perfectly fine working at a desk job.

For this reason, it's not always easy for younger (under 50) claimants to be found disabled, since Social Security will need to see that you can't do any sit-down jobs at all. That typically requires a significant loss of functioning that's not usually associated with amputation of any one toe or finger. Missing your thumb or big toe may cause difficulty performing basic movements such as grasping objects or standing upright, however, so if you're unable to stand for two hours out of an eight hour work day or handle small items, you might qualify for benefits.

What Medical Evidence is Required to Get Disability?

After you submit your application for benefits, the SSA will request your medical records from your treating doctor. Your records should include surgical records of your amputation, a prescription for any prosthetic devices or ambulatory aids you require, a list of medications you take (along with any side effects), and your doctor's opinion about your ability to perform movements such as walking, standing, lifting, carrying, and balancing. Your doctor should also address the likelihood that your functional limitations will improve or whether your condition is likely to stay the same.

VA Disability Benefits for Veterans Who Have Lost a Limb

Veterans who are amputees as a result of a service-connected incident may qualify for disability compensation from the VA. Disability ratings for amputated limbs can range from 10% to 100%, depending on what limb was amputated, how many were amputated, and how extensive the bone loss was. For example, veterans who underwent a single metacarpal resection of their long finger (meaning more than one half of the bone was lost) can get a 20% disability rating, while veterans who have had their thigh amputated can get a 90% or higher rating.

Your disability rating determines the amount of monthly VA benefits you can get. Amputees are eligible for additional payments ("special monthly compensation") on top of the base compensation rate. If you lost a limb during combat, you may be eligible for combat-related special compensation.

How Much Are the Amputation Disability Benefits?

For veterans, the exact amount you'll receive as an amputee will depend on several factors, including your disability rating, your household situation (such as whether you have a dependent spouse, children, or parents), and whether you qualify for special compensation. The VA maintains the current disability rates tables on their website, updated annually as the amounts are adjusted to account for increases in the cost of living.

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of disabling condition you have, and unlike the VA, amputees aren't given special compensation. Instead, the amount you'll receive if you're awarded benefits will depend on whether you're eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI eligibility is determined by your work history and how much you've contributed to the program in payroll taxes, while SSI is a needs-based benefit available to people with limited resources. For more information, check out our articles on how much you can get in SSDI and how much you can get in SSI.

Applying for Disability Benefits

Filing for Social Security benefits is a fairly straightforward process. Many people choose to apply online at Social Security's official website. If you're filing for SSDI, you can complete the entire application online. SSI claimants who are over 18, have never been married, and have never applied for SSI before can also submit the full application online.

You can also apply for disability benefits by calling 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can call the TTY number at 800-325-0778. Or, you can go in person to your local Social Security field office. Some offices require that you make an appointment first, so it's best to call ahead and ask.

Veterans seeking disability compensation can find comprehensive information about applying in our article on how to file for VA benefits.

My Application Was Denied, Do I Need a Lawyer?

There are a lot of reasons why Social Security may have denied your disability application. You may not meet the preliminary eligibility requirements to receive either SSDI or SSI, despite your limitations. Or, your limb loss may not have affected your functioning to the degree required by the agency. Some amputees are still able to work as long as they're provided with reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but might not be aware of this right. They may benefit from requesting a reasonable accommodation from their employer which can allow them to continue working.

Other amputees aren't able to perform sedentary jobs even with reasonable accommodations. In these cases, it's often wise to appeal the disability denial and ask for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. At this stage, you may want to consider getting assistance from an experienced disability attorney who can help you navigate the appeals process and gather the medical evidence needed to win your claim.